Kamala and Bagga

Behind my Ajja's house in Kadidal, Leela's house was there. When I was small I used to think that Leela's job is the most interesting job in this world. You know what was her job? She used to take the cows for grazing. Morning aroung 9.00am she used to take them. In front of Ajja's house one small hill was there, where she used to take them. Then around 11 am she used to take them to tunga river, which was at a distance of 1km from Ajja's house. That was our main attraction.

On the other shore of river there is a place called Tirthamuttur where one temple is there. And river is little bit steep at that shore. Every year one or two people used to die there. Ajja never allowed us to go to river alone. We were also afraid of going alone.

So morning 9 am as soon as Ajja would go to farm we used to run behind Leela. She was having three children. First one, Manja was famous as "Koli Kalla" means "Chicken thief". Next two Kamala and Bagga were our best friends. I used to envy them as they were not going to school. I always used to think why should I go to school when Bagga and Kamala are not going. Leela tried to send Bagga to school. Those days, Government was giving uniforms to children who study in government school. So everytime Bagga used to go first day, collect uniform and comeback. That would be his last day. Then happily he will use that uniform while going to market.

Both of them were experts in climbing trees. So as soon as we get hungry, we will show them some tree where fruits are there. They used to climb that tree, no matter what is the size of tree. From 9 am to 11 am we used to play with them. Then at 11 am we used to follow her to river.

After coming back everyday we tried to enter house slowly so that Ajja could not see us. But somehow he used to catch us. Then because of our mistake Ajji will get scoldings. "You are responsible for all this. Your grandchildren are waste. I am sure that one day I will find them on the top of one big tree along with those Bagga and Kamala. They haven't even touched the book from so many days". In fact we tried to learn how to climb tree, But we could not.

Then after taking bath, during lunch time also he used to scream at us. Then we would wait for Ajja to go to his room, and after that as usual play with Bagga and Kamala.

Ajji was fed up with Ajja's dialogs that her grandchildren are waste. When I got engineering seat, she started giving taunts that "See, you were telling that my grandchildren are waste. But today she proved you wrong" When I got my first salary I purchased saree for Ajji and kadi shirt material for Ajja. When I gave it to Ajji, she told me "Your Ajja was always telling that only job suitable for my grandchildren is taking cows for grazing. Today I am so happy that you proved him wrong"

Last month when I lost Ajja, I had been to Kadidal. I heard someone asking me from back "How are you?" I turned back and saw Kamala. After so many years I saw her. When I talked with her I felt that, we have become so much strangers. Now my world and her world are so different. I don't know how it changed. I sometimes feel like going back to those days. Roaming in forest, waiting for Ajja to go to sleep so that we can go out, that 24 hours rain of rainy season. I miss so many things.